My Octopus Teacher

The octopus is one of the most amazing and intelligent animals around. Watch excerpts from the Oscar-winning documentary My Octopus Teacher as you explore the complex adaptations of this fascinating cephalopod.

In the documentary, a filmmaker tells the story of his friendship with an octopus in a kelp forest off South Africa and shares some of the secrets he discovers about the animal’s world. Students will learn about the habitats where octopuses live and about the survival mechanisms they use, including the ability to change color and camouflage themselves as a rock, a patch of algae or a part of a coral reef. After learning about octopuses, students will create a kelp forest environment inspired by the film and design different camouflage patterns that an octopus could use to hide there.